The Third Regional Meeting of Urban Development Ministers of North-Central States was held in Bhopal on December 20, 2025, under the chairmanship of Union Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs, Shri Manohar Lal. The meeting formed part of the Government of India’s ongoing regional consultation framework aimed at strengthening cooperative federalism in urban development and accelerating India’s urban transformation agenda.
This regional consultation followed the national-level meeting of Urban Development Ministers held in New Delhi in July 2025 and built upon earlier regional meetings conducted in Bengaluru (October 2025) and Hyderabad (November 2025). Discussions focused on shared urban challenges, emerging opportunities, and coordinated implementation of flagship urban missions across states.
The meeting witnessed participation from key political leadership and senior officials, including Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shri Mohan Yadav, along with Urban Development Ministers from Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, and representatives from Delhi. Senior officers from the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) and state governments were also present.
Focus on Mission Implementation and Urban Reforms
In his opening remarks, the Union Minister reiterated the national vision of Viksit Bharat@2047, emphasizing that India’s development is intrinsically linked to the development and self-reliance of its cities and states. During the meeting, the Swachh Survekshan 2025–26 Toolkit was officially released, and seven IT platforms of the Government of Madhya Pradesh were launched digitally to strengthen citizen-centric urban service delivery.
The review of central urban missions formed a major part of the deliberations:
- Under the Swachh Bharat Mission–Urban (SBM-U), states were urged to fast-track dumpsite remediation under the Dumpsite Remediation Accelerator Programme (DRAP) and ensure time-bound execution of action plans under Swachh Shehar Jodi, promoting peer learning between mentor and mentee cities.
- For AMRUT, emphasis was laid on improving the quality and sustainability of urban water and sanitation infrastructure, achieving saturation in tap water supply and sewerage coverage, and maximizing the reuse of treated wastewater.
- Under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana–Urban (PMAY-U), the Union Minister stressed completion of ongoing housing projects, grounding of PMAY 2.0 houses, and ensuring occupancy of Affordable Housing in Partnership (AHP) units. The Angikaar Campaign will continue until March 2026 to enhance beneficiary outreach and convergence of services.
Urban mobility issues, including the PM-eBus Sewa Scheme, metro network densification, and first- and last-mile connectivity, were also discussed as critical components of sustainable urban transport.
Collaborative Approach to Urban Transformation
State ministers appreciated MoHUA’s regional consultation model, highlighting its role in identifying shared priorities and region-specific solutions. Similar meetings will be conducted across other regions of the country to support peer learning and coordinated urban reforms.
On the sidelines of the meeting, the Union Minister and the Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh also flagged off a new metro line in Bhopal and undertook a metro ride from Subhash Nagar to AIIMS Metro Station, underscoring the government’s commitment to strengthening urban public transport systems.
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